


The Future's Present

by Lapinporokoira



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2003)
Genre: Gen, Head Injury, Major Character Injury, SAINW, Writing Exercise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-17
Updated: 2016-07-17
Packaged: 2018-07-24 14:17:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7511560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lapinporokoira/pseuds/Lapinporokoira
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The future is not written but that does not mean the future cannot change the past.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Future's Present

**Author's Note:**

> Very minor change since I originally posted. The very line last has been altered.

"Sorry Donnie"

_Well. I guess I didn't need that after all. Not like I can find another ECU just lying around in the junkyard._

"Mikey, You nimrod. I told you, you couldn't make that jump"

"Shut up Raph. I'm apologising to Don here."

_No, Mikey. Don't touch that. I'll get it!_

"It's fine Mikey. I can sort this out."

"If ya sure bro?"

"Unequivocally"

_Quicker if I did this myself. Mikey means well but..._

"Better run, Mike. Don's getting out the big words."

"Don't you guys have better things to do?"

_And now Leo. Why is everyone in the garage all of sudden?_

"We are Leo. I was just testing my skateboard for errr flaws."

"I see. So I misheard when Raph challenged you to jump the Battleshell?"

_That explains... no wait. Raph it's your fault!_

"Mike, you tattler!"

"Heh Raph. Take responsibility like a man"

"I'm a turtle not a man"

"A Manly Turtle then"

_Delving into semantics? This is going to go nowhere fast. Just ignore them._

" Thanks for the compliment."

"Wait I didn't... "

"You guys are clearly bored. We may as well start patrol early get some of that energy put to good use"

_Now? But I've still got a lot more work to do on the Battleshell_

"Leo I still have work to do here. I'll meet up with you guys later"

"No can do Don. This is also going to be a team building exercise."

_Great. He's in Leader mode. Do I take the challenge?_

"Leonardo..."

_Challenge accepted_

"Don unless you are going to finish that sentence with 'of course I will go with you now' I don't want to hear it."

_Interrupting me before I can fully formulate my sentence is clearly against the rules of the challenge._

"This is important, Leo"

"Training is Important."

_Maybe I wasn't clear enough?_

" I know that Leo. But I can't leave the Battleshell non-operational. And I do believe you were aiming this little exercise towards Mikey and Raph. I'm clearly busy here. Not bored. Like I said I'll join up with you later."

"Donatello, you will go on patrol with us now. Put away your t... stuff and lets go."

_Talking to me like a child now! And I know you were going to say toys just then. Not that 'stuff' is much better. What if I called your Katana, toys? You would have a conniption fit._

"Uh oh Leo means business today. Sensei must have pulled him up on something."

"No shit, Sherlock"

"Language Raph"

_Thanks Raph. Hopefully Leo will be distracted enough so I can finish putting the engine back together._

"I'm sorry. Mr Roboto. Does my langauge offend you? "

"You know it does. Donatello put that wrench down"

_I swear to Albert Einstien..._

"Hmm?"

_Selective hearing time. It works for Mikey on occasion. Maybe it will work here?_

"Don't ignore me."

"Don, let's just go. Grumpy Leo, means we're gonna get dojo training afterwards and I have comic books that haven't even been opened today. My babies would miss me."

_Couldn't have done that instead of skateboarding all over the garage and setting Leo off in the first place?_

"Frown like that Don and it'll stick"

_You encouraged him Raph._

_"_ Why look at me like that?"

"Donatello, you're starting to act like a child. I expect better from you than this attitude. A little rooftop exercise would improve that. "

_Act like a child? Attitude? I'm working here. Unlike you Leo I can't spend all night and day training. If I just had some time to myself I could get more things done._

“I'm not the one with a stick up his ass”

“Oooooooh”

_Ok maybe that was a bit harsh._

“Well excuse me Donatello. If I didn't have a stick up my ass you guys would never do any training. We need to be on top form in case the Shredder or any other enemy attacks. You guys get lazy when I'm not around.”

_How dare he accuse me of being lazy!_

“Don't give me that crap Leo. I work harder then anyone here.”

“Then prove it by coming on patrol. Your endurance still needs work.”

“It kind of does Don. You still can't beat me in a race. But I am the Battle Nexus Champion so I guess it can't be helped too much.”

_Gee thanks Mikey._

“Remember when you lost in the first round of that, Don?”

_Et tu Raphael? What is this? Gang up on Donatello day? Don't look at me like that Leo. I'm not going to take a lecture from you right now._

“You know what guys”

_I'm not putting up with this! I do so much for this family and yet the moment Leo wants something we all fall in line. I'm not your obedient puppy Leo. This is our home not the battlefield!_

“You can take this patrol and shove it up your backsides!”

_I'm out of here. I won't get into a physical fight here. I refuse to play Leo's mind games._

“Don get back here!”

_Hell no. Don't make me punch you Leo._

“Hey Don stop, please.”

_Sorry Mikey but I might punch you as well right now._

“Let him go Mikey. Don just needs to cool off.”

_Must feel good Raph, it not being you storming off for a change._

_How dare Leo. How dare he! Deep breaths Donatello. Breath in. Breathe Out. Focus on your heartbeat. Keep your mind steady. Picture a clam ocean._

_Breath in._

_Breath Out._

_Breath In_

_Breath Out_

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_Well that was a very stupid thing to do. Just delaying the inevitable lecture and worry my brothers in the process. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. I'm supposed to be the intellectual turtle. The dependable and genial one._

_Sometimes I have more pride then Leo. Not that I'll ever admit that. And the argument wasn't even that big a deal. It's not the first time Leo has pulled the 'I'm in Chrage lets train' routine. Guess I'm just stressed and tired. We've been constantly looking over ur shoulders for a while now. Not to mention when I literally lost my mind and became that thing. Great. My brothers are probably worried now._

_Again I'm stupid! Mikey and Raph have been hanging around me more then usual since then and Leo has been a bit too keen on my health in particular as well. I had a tantrum, acted like a child like Leo said and they were just in their own crass way trying to look out for me._

_I'm going to go back and apologise. They deserve it. I don't EVER want to leave my family on a sour note. That... that... I can't do that. I won't do that. Not when I could dis..._

“Pull it together. Donnie.”

_Where am I anyway? Didn't even look to see where I was going. Hmmm._

_This place isn't our usual route. Must have subconsciously gone to where they were unlikely to find me. Place looks worn down. Those pipes are rusted almost black. Gross._

_I think this is beneath the old Lime district. If I remember from the Professor he said some of his friends stayed there. Mostly empty buildings, wild dogs and not much else. But up there must be the ritz compared to the sewers here. I DO not want to know what that thing is over there._

“Skeeeeeeeeeeeeeee”

_What was that?!_

“Crackle”

_It's not human. What is that?_

“Donnie look out!”

_Who?! Shit the ceiling!_

BOOOM!!!!! CRASHHHH!!!

…

…

…

…

…

“..ugg..”

…

_I think..._

_I think..._

_I think therefore I am..._

_I think the sky just fell on me._

_No, not the sky. Feels like sky. Feels like a very jagged sky._

_Feel..._

_I don't feel so good..._

_I would rather not feel at all right now._

_Not the sky. The roof._

_Ow it hurts_

“...hng...”

_Words. I can't get my words out. Why does my right leg not feel when the rest of me does?_

Stay awake Don.

 _I'm trying! My head hurts. My body apart from that leg hurts._ _Did that leg fall off? I can't quite see. Too much red in my vision._

_Blood._

_My head is bleeding._

_Why am I bleeding?_

_Did I fall over?_

_No that was the ceiling._

_I fell and I can't get up._

“huff hahah weez”

_I'm trapped and my mind is twisted. Twisting. Swirling. Discombobulated._

… _._

… _._

… _._

…

Donatello!

_That's my name. Don't wear it out. Huh I blacked out and became Mikey._

_Think Don think!_

_Don't think about thinking, think about what to do._

_How long has it been? How long since I left the lair?_

_I don't have my Shellcell on me. They don't know where I am._

_Oh crap! They don't know where I am!_

_I can't stay here. They must be worried. I need to let them know I'm sorry for leaving the lair in a bad mood. Oh Shell. What If I can't? What if I can't ever say sorry?!_

Deep breaths. Just like before. You remember how.

_Is that me? OK Don, Breath in. Breath Out. Breath in..._

_Ow that hurts. It hurts to breath. Did it hurt to breath before? There is something on top of me. I can feel it with my hands. At least those work. Shame everything else is a mess. Still no sign of Right leg. I wonder if Right leg is ok?_

_It's a leg, not a pet. I think I might have hit my head pretty hard. Explains the blood. Stinging my eyes a little. Or is that because of the tears? I'm all alone._

“...elp...”

_Ow it hurts to talk and no-one can hear that. I barely heard that. I don't want to be alone. Please someone stay with me. I don't want to die alone._

I'm here Don. We're here.

_Leo? Did you guys find me?_

Don't cry. It will be alright.

_I'm sorry Leo. I don't mean to cry. I didn't mean to leave you guys. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I think my chest is going numb and I'm so sorry._

Not your fault.

_But it is Mikey, it is! You'll never find me here. I left you guys and I promised that I wouldn't let that happen. I let you down._

Get up.

_I'm pinned Raph. I'm pinned under so much sky._

Let us help

_But you're not here. I'm alone. So alone. I... I can't give up without a fight. Splinter. Father. I remember when I was sick as a child. I was really sick. I remember your faces. Full of tears but happy when I could open my eyes. Father. Father fought for me. You guys fought for me and I beat the fever. I beat if because I fought too._

_I can do this!_

_Establish the situation. I'm buried. My right leg is pinned. I've sustained a head injury. Open wound. Maybe concussion. Certainly knocked my head around a bit. Pressure on my chest. Something pinning me there too. I can breath but barely. Arms are free though._

_OK next step work the situation. I can reach my chest. Hmm. Something heavy and wide. Smooth but.. I think that's part of the ceiling on me. It's large but broken into three parts. Ok. Ok Breath Don._

“DONNIE!?”

_I hear you Leo. I'm doing this, my head is cloudy give me time to think. These pieces are quite thick but maybe I can move... Ow. Ow. Ow. No. No. Shit NO!_

“ERGHHHHHHHH!”

_Fuck. That hurt. I guess I know I can scream though. Scream? Wasn't that a Michael Jackson hit?_

“THAT'S DON!”

_Yes that was me. I think I just made the pressure worse. And I've got a couple of broken fingers now too. Humans have four phalanges on each manus and opposable thumbs. Must be nice to have that many. Like waving reeds._

Stay with us Don. We're coming. Just hold on.

_I'm trying but I think my mind wants to play now. My chest hurts. Why does it hurt? Did I get sick again? Don't cry guys. I'm fine. I beat the fever. No need for applause. It's not that big of a deal. I'm alone and sorry but you don't need to make all that noise._

“Speak to me Don!”

_Hi Raph. I think I'm badly hurt. I might need to sleep for a little while._

Stay with us Little bro.

_It's hard Raphie. I made it worse again. Now stop making that noise. It's hurting my ears. And stop making the world move. Turn that light off I'm trying to sleep._

“I found him! Guys I FOUND HIM!”

_Are we playing Hide and Seek, Mikey? Why didn't you tell me? I would have hid better... NO! I wouldn't hide better. I don't want to hide. I want to be with you guys. Mikey! I'm losing my mind here. Not enough oxygen now. You found me. Please don't let me go. Where are you going? Come back!_

_Oh hey Raph._

“Don? Fuck. Hurry Leo. He's pinned and bleeding bad.”

_I'm bleeding? Oh right, head wound._

“Don, can you hear me?”

“ I.. an.. gfgn”

_I can Raph but I can't seem to speak so good. It hurts to move now._

“I've got you.”

We've got you

_I heard you the first time._

_The pressure is gone. I can breath!_

“...gasp...”

_My right leg tingles now. Oh, you guys are over there trying to unpin it. I must have blacked out for a moment. My head fills warm._

“Don. Please. Stay with us.”

_I'm not going anywhere Mikey. Your hand feels warm. Feels nice. Why are you only using one hand though?_

Don't worry about it.

_But I worry, Mikey. Did you get hurt as well? Is that why I can't see your left arm? I'll fix it up when we get back to the lair. Needle and thread. Needle and thread. Attach it back so you're not dead._

I'm right here Don.

“I'm here Bro”

 _I hurt my ears too. I'm hearing double. Ahhhh there's my right leg. Right where I left it. Ha a pun. Father would like that one. That tickles Leo. Can't you see my toes wriggling?_ _Leo, can't you see?_

Just focus on yourself.

“ mnggg Leo”

“Don? Don open your eyes please. Don?”

_I'm looking. But it's your eyes Leo. When did you wear glasses? It's too dark to be wearing sunglasses._

I thought they made me look cool.

_You have a terrible sense of fashion. Now that's better. No wonder you couldn't see my toes wearing them. You look better without them._

“Don. It's me, Leo. Nod if you can hear me.”

_Stop confusing me! I can only have one conversation at a time. My head hurts bad. But I can nod. Feels like my skull rattling in there._

“How is he?”

“Concussed, I'm sure of it. But other then that... We need to get him to the infirmary now. “

_No, don't cry Raphie. I haven't left yet. Wipe your eye. I'm floating. It's like flying. Careful Raph if you pick me up too fast I'll fly away. I'll end up hitting the ceiling instead of it hitting me._

Stay here, Donnie. Stay with your brothers.

_But what if I float away?_

“Don't you dare die on me!”

We'll keep you tethered.

_Can I sleep now? Just for a while?_

Stay with us

“Donnie come on. Look at me!”

We need you.

They need you.

_Raph your eye it's gone. Did it go where the needle and thread and Leo's sunglasses went? I want to fly._

“ Donnie “

_No, Mikey don't cry as well. Tears steal body parts. Am I flying now?_

“Raph. How is he?”

“Not good!”

Stay

_I want to!_

…

…

_Did I fly away? Did I finally hit the stratosphere?_

“Like we would ever let you go that far.”

“So I'm not flying?”

“Only the greatest warrior of the known universes can do that”

“Mike, you're head may be in the clouds but that's about it”

“Guys? Was I dreaming?”

“No Don. You're not. This is a dream.”

“I find that highly unlikely”

“Take a look around”

_Everything is white_

“It's white”

“It's pretty isn't it. “

“More sad then anything”

“That's just the echoes.”

“Leo?”

_You're not my Leo. You're the other Leonardo. You died. You all died._

“Yes I died and you don't need to be sad or angry about it any more. Like I said echoes. Just a nightmare. Not real.”

“But it happened! I was there.”

“It didn't happen because you aren't going anywhere. ”

“But I might!”

“We found you remember?”

_That was a dream_

“Chill Don. Like Leo said this is the dream. Back there is reality. You never left us because we found you. You're home right now.”

“Then why am I here?”

“Because you might fly too far for us to reach otherwise.”

“So I'm dying?”

“In a sense. But don't worry about it. We've got your back on both sides.”

“I don't understand.”

“You don't have to. Just live Donnie. That's all we ask of you.”

“Yeah you gotta live, Brainiac.”

“Live, love, laugh. ”

“That was corny, Mike.”

“Oh shush”

“Donatello, everything will be fine. Just remember we love you. ”

“But...”

“Echoes. You gave us hope that day when you came back. Consider this a gift in return.”

“We know the truth now”

“And the truth will set you and us free.”

_I'm falling?_

“They're calling you back. Better answer.”

“I'm sorry I left for so long back then”

“You're here with us now.”

“Time to go”

_I love you_

“Don? Don are you there?”

_I'm here. I haven't left yet._

“Is he waking up?”

_It was a dream?_

“My son?”

_The white room is gone. Father I'm here._

“He's not awake yet”

“Is he going to be alright now? I thought.. I thought we lost him.”

“Come ere Mikey. “

_No more tears. Please._

“It was close but he seems to be stabilising now. He's lucky you brought him back in time”

“It felt more then lucky, April. Something compelled me to go that way and it was only because Mikey had a bad feeling that I even started the search in the first place.”

“Well I don't care about luck or any of that. All that matters is Donnie is alive.”

“Amen to that Raph.”

_I'm here. I'm here. I'm here and I'm staying._

“His eyes are moving!”

“He's struggling into consciousness.”

“I need a damp cloth”

_Damnit I need to wake up._

“That's it little brother. Just a bit more.”

_I see. I see you!_

“...”

“Quick get him some water and a straw”

“Here Don take it slow. Only a few sips.”

_The water burns my throat. It's wonderful._

“My son, can you speak to us?”

“Father...”

_I have so many words to say to you. To all of you. Words I can't even begin to voice. If I start they'll never stop._

“We've got you.”

_I know. I know you'll always catch me when I fall. So many words._

“You're going to be OK, so just rest now.”

_I need to tell them. Tell them everything. So close. So near. I need to say it. Master Spinter. Leo, Mikey, Raphie. April. Casey. Klunk. Everyone!_

“Hi.”

  
  


 

**Author's Note:**

> It felt like there should be more and the ending felt like it needed something else but couldn't think of anything to add. So maybe it's written as it should be. I dunno. I'll let you guys decide.


End file.
